The 2018 championships hosted by Queensland branch and conducted in partnership with Brisbane Boys' College celebrated the growth in Australia's juvenile band scene and development of bands in the grades showing that Australian pipe bands are building a strong foundation for a new era in performance and engagement for our home-grown pipers.

World-accomplished pipers and drummers living in Australia are at the forefront of developing an exciting new generation of players across school and community bands and this is evident in high entries again for the juvenile band championship that has risen in standard over recent years.

These young players are now also joining the ranks of our graded bands with firm foundations being laid, taking a shape that is growing our movement through increasingly consistent local participation and performance standard.

The PBA live steam was watched from around the world and will be uploaded to youtube shortly. Special thanks to Tim Kelly for the live stream and our commentator Tyler Fry who took this initiative to a new level.

During the finale, Pipe Major Ian Lyons of Moorabbin played the lament in memory of top grade drummer and school band tutor Kelly Wagener who passed away suddenly earlier in the week, Michael Stubbings and all pipers and drummers who had passed away since the last championships.

Among the Hall of Fame inductees at the championships was Pipe Bands Australia chieftain RJK (Bob) Semple OAM BEM, aged 97, who received a special salute from the massed bands. Other inductees present were Nat Russell GC OAM, Tony Sell and Sam Young.

Representatives of the Maryborough Highland Society, hosts of the diamond jubilee year championships in 2020, also attended.